AUGUST 28, 1995

And now it's Bugatti

THERE seem to be a constant flow of stories about possible new teams in F1 in the near future. In recent months we have heard stories of a DAMS F1 team, Lola, Dome and Vanwall - although this last-named does not seem to be anywhere near as serious as the others.

Now we hear that a Californian millionaire Robert Wachtel, from Malibu, is saying that he would like to rescue the troubled Bugatti car company with an investment of US$100m, if current Bugatti owner Romano Artioli will agree to sell him 51% of the stock in the company.

Wachtel has been quoted in the European press as saying that he is interested in reviving not only the famous car-making company, but also the Bugatti F1 team - which was the dominant force in European motor racing in the late 1920s and early 1930s.

Such an idea would be enormously attractive to big French sponsors, who are currently trying to decide what to do with their money now that Ligier has ceased to be French-owned and Larrousse and AGS have gone out of business.